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☆ Gen Xer Got $250K in Student Loans Forgiven After Decades of Payments
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Joel Lambdin finished graduate school in 1998 — but as a professional musician, he was hardly making enough money to pay off his student loans and his other bills. So Lambdin, now 49, said his only option to make ends meet was to put his student loans on forbearance — in which he was not making payments, but interest was still accumulating. But he grew to realize that the only way he could make a significant dent in his student loans was by switching careers. The Biden-Harris Administration has forgiven your federal student loan(s) listed below with Aidvantage in full." When it comes to student-loan forgiveness, some borrowers told BI that their servicer made a mistake with the forgiveness, reinstating their payments months later.

Persons: Joel Lambdin, Lambdin, Aidvantage, Harris, I've, servicers, he's Organizations: Service, Business, Public, BI, Harris Administration, Education Department, The Education Department Locations: forbearance, India

☆ Student-loan borrowers faced 3.9 million billing errors after entering repayment, a new report from 4 Democratic lawmakers says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewLawmakers have highly scrutinized the return to repayment for millions of student-loan borrowers in the fall. Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey, and Chris Van Hollen released a report on student-loan servicer errors amid the return to repayment. Exclusively viewed by Business Insider, the report said servicers made over 3.9 million "billing-related errors" once repayment resumed. Still, the Democratic lawmakers said in their report that more could be done to help borrowers harmed by servicing errors. "To remedy servicers' historic failures and protect borrowers from future harms, there must be a path for debt relief for borrowers harmed by their servicers," they wrote in the report.

Persons: —, Democratic Sens, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey, Chris Van Hollen, servicers, Nelnet, Aidvantage, MOHELA, Warren Organizations: Service, Democrats, Democratic, Business, Education Department, ED, Warren, BI, Public

☆ A major student-loan company is 'impeding' borrowers' debt cancellation and 'mishandling' their monthly bills, Elizabeth Warren says. She wants its CEO to face Congress.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewMassachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has questions for the head of a major student-loan company — and she wants him to answer them in Congress next month. On Monday, Warren sent a letter to Scott Giles, the CEO of federal student-loan servicer MOHELA, inviting him to testify before the Senate banking committee on April 10. MOHELA was the first federal servicer to be punished by the Education Department for failing to fulfill its contractual obligations. "Your testimony will provide you with an opportunity to offer context on MOHELA's role as a student loan servicer at a time of significant transition for the federal student loan program," she added. Warren, along with other Democratic lawmakers, has previously scrutinized MOHELA's handling of student-loan borrowers' accounts.

Persons: —, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Warren, Scott Giles, servicer MOHELA, MOHELA, servicer, Chuck Schumer, Sen, Bernie Sanders, PSLF, I'm Organizations: Service, Public, Business, Education Department, Democratic, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Locations: Massachusetts, Nelnet

☆ Federal agency: Student loan company errors could 'pose serious risks' to borrowers, the economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., Dec. 15, 2022. When student loan servicers make errors by cutting corners or sidestepping the law, it can "pose serious risks to individuals and the economy," said Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra. Borrowers experienced long phone hold times with their servicers, significant delays in the processing of their repayment applications, and inaccurate and untimely billing statements, the bureau found. The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that it would withhold payments to three student loan servicers as part of its efforts to hold the companies accountable. "Today's actions make clear that the Biden-Harris Administration will not give student loan servicers a free pass for poor performance and missteps that jeopardize borrowers," Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

Persons: Rohit Chopra, servicers, Mark Kantrowitz, Harris, Education Miguel Cardona Organizations: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, Washington , D.C, Financial, U.S . Department of Education, Finance, Biden, Harris Administration, Education Locations: Washington ,, EdFinancial, Nelnet

☆ Student loan payments restart in October — here are changes borrowers can expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A new servicer, for someMillions of federal student loan borrowers will have a different servicer when payments resume in October. Impacted borrowers should get emails about the change, said Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, a trade group for federal student loan servicers. Borrowers previously with FedLoan should be transferred to MOHELA, or the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, he said. Another repayment optionFederal student loan borrowers can now sign up for the Biden administration's new loan repayment plan, and they could be enrolled in it by the time the bills resume. If your student loan servicer can't process your application for the SAVE plan by the time payments resume, it should place you in a temporary forbearance.

Persons: Julia Amaral, they'll, Granite State —, Scott Buchanan, Buchanan, FAFSA, Mark Kantrowitz, Kantrowitz, servicer, Biden, they're, Joe Biden Organizations: Istock, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, Student Loan, Alliance, Finance, Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, EdFinancial Services, Lakes Higher, Federal Services, Biden, Valuable Education, Public, Education Department Locations: That's, Pennsylvania, Granite State, MOHELA, Missouri, StudentAid.gov

☆ A couple with over $250,000 in student debt finally got their balance wiped out after nearly 3 decades of repayment: 'This is life-altering for us'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"I fully expect this debt will follow me to the grave," Ron Rizzardi told Insider in 2021. AdvertisementAdvertisementRon and Marcia Rizzardi just got their student-loan balance forgiven. "It's a little unbelievable — surreal, maybe," Ron Rizzardi told Insider after he received that letter. AdvertisementAdvertisementFor the Rizzardis, their chapter of student-loan repayment is now closed. "I had just gotten back from a meeting, and I sat down, and I just got into the habit of looking at my servicer's account every day," Ron Rizzardi said.

Persons: Ron, Marcia Rizzardi, Ron Rizzardi, Harris, we'll, it's, I've, Joe Biden's, We've, We'd, It's, —, servicers Organizations: Service, Harris Administration, Students, Education Department Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ When student loan payments restart, many borrowers may have a different servicer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Mementojpeg | Moment | Getty ImagesLook out for notices about the changeScott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, a trade group for federal student loan servicers, said impacted borrowers should get emails about the change. Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz has been tracking the transfers. Borrowers previously with FedLoan should be transferred to MOHELA, or the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, he said. Accounts with Great Lakes Higher Education, Kantrowitz said, should be managed by Nelnet going forward. Also, Kantrowitz said, "whenever there is a change of loan servicer, there can be problems transferring borrower data."

Persons: Scott Buchanan, servicers, Buchanan, Mark Kantrowitz, Kantrowitz, You'll Organizations: Student Loan, Alliance, Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, EdFinancial Services, Lakes Higher, Federal Services Locations: MOHELA, Missouri, Granite State, StudentAid.gov

☆ Millions of student loan borrowers will have a new servicer when payments restart
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Borrowers who are being transferred to a different servicer should receive alerts via email, said Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, a trade group for federal student loan servicers. These notices will explain any steps you'll need to take, he said, and include information on your new servicer. watch nowBorrowers previously with FedLoan should be transferred to MOHELA, or the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, he said. Borrowers can check who their new servicer is by logging in to StudentAid.gov., Kantrowitz said. Also, Kantrowitz said, "whenever there is a change of loan servicer, there can be problems transferring borrower data.

Persons: Berk, Scott Buchanan, Kantrowitz, Buchanan, You'll Organizations: Istock, Student Loan, Alliance, Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, EdFinancial Services, Lakes Higher, Federal Services Locations: MOHELA, Missouri, Granite State, StudentAid.gov

The student-loan forgiveness application is live on the federal student aid website. Over 8 million Americans applied for student-loan forgiveness using the beta version of the application, released on Friday, October 14. Can I still get student-loan forgiveness if I haven't filed my tax return? To receive a non-filing letter from the IRS, fill out Form 4506-T.Will the amount of student-loan forgiveness I receive get taxed? Parents whose children are also applying for student-loan forgiveness must file a separate application for debt relief for their Parent PLUS loans using the same application.

The federal student-loan forgiveness application is now open in beta-testing mode. Access the student-loan forgiveness application here. Here's what you'll need to have on hand to fill out the application and apply for student-loan forgiveness. Here's what the application looks like from a cell phone:The student-loan forgiveness application does not include income verification documents. If you received a Pell Grant, you are eligible for $20,000 in student-loan forgiveness.

Perkins loans that aren't held by the US government do not qualify for Biden's new student-loan forgiveness. To qualify for up to $20,000 in forgiveness, you must consolidate your loans into Direct loans. This may not be the best option for everyone, since some Perkins loans are forgiven after five years. Unlike federal student loans, some Perkins loans are serviced by the school you attended, but the federal government pays for interest accrued while you're still in school. studentaid.govOnly consolidate loans that are not Direct loans.

You'll receive $10,000 in student-loan forgiveness if you meet the income requirements. You'll receive $20,000 in forgiveness if you received a Pell Grant and meet the income requirements. If you meet the income requirements above and did not receive a Pell Grant, you're eligible to receive $10,000 in student-loan forgiveness. Which loans qualify for student-loan forgiveness? studentaid.govThere is no partial student-loan forgiveness for people who do not meet the income requirementAt the time of this writing, student-loan forgiveness is not available for people who make more than the income requirements outlined in Biden's plan.

Only loans held by the federal government are eligible for Biden's student-loan forgiveness. If you refinance your student loans with a private lender, those loans are no longer eligible. You must have the correct federal student loan type to be eligibleGenerally, only loans held by the federal government are eligible for Biden's forgiveness plan. If you refinance your student loans, you won't be eligible for Biden's forgiveness plan of up to $20,000. The long-term benefits of student-loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment plans outweigh the short-term benefits of refinancing with a private lender.

Some FFEL loans are federally-backed student loans held by private student loan servicers, and others are held by the US government. Student loan expert Sonia Lewis of the Student Loan Doctor explains, "FFEL loans are federally-backed loans that were funded by a private company." Those loans already qualify for student-loan forgiveness; if your FFEL loans have been on pause during the pandemic, they're eligible for forgiveness. If your FFEL loans are privately held, you'll need to consolidate them into Direct loans that are owned by the government to qualify for forgiveness. How to fill out a Direct loan consolidation applicationThe first step is to fill out a Direct loan consolidation application at studentaid.gov.

To qualify for forgiveness, FFEL and Perkins loan borrowers can consolidate into a Direct loan. Student loan expert Sonia Lewis, who has worked with over 20,000 clients to help them navigate their student loans via the Student Loan Doctor LLC, says most people don't know their loan type in the first place. studentaid.govHere's a list of all the different loan types, and whether or not they qualify for student loan forgiveness. If you have privately-held FFEL loans, you must consolidate your FFEL loans into a Direct loan to qualify for Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan. Additionally, if you refinanced your federal student loans with a private lender, those loans are no longer eligible for Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan.

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